Guardians of the Force
by Setsuna
Summary: The people of Anikiyala are being threatened by Darth Sidious, can they be saved?
1. Default Chapter

Guardians of the Force  
  
Holders of the Balance  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I only own the characters that I create and not those of George Lucas who is the greatest man alive. (Flattery never hurts when you are ripping off of someone else's work)  
  
Those of you who know and love Star Wars will know which characters are which. (Mine are all the really cool ones. Hey, I have to pump up myself a little.)  
  
First line is borrowed as a joke okay.  
  
  
  
It was a dark and stormy night.  
  
The old man stood at the door of his home and looked to the east. The storm was approaching fast from the west side. Not a star shone in the night sky. His head bent, he seemed to stoop even more as his wife looked on. He could bare it no more. All his life suddenly seemed a sham, a disappointment. Long ago he had realized that all his training in the rituals of his people, the studying of the oracles, the learning of the phrophesies were for nothing. He long since quit them all. He was the oldest guardian who had ever lived and it showed in the sagging of his flesh, the carved wrinkles of his face.  
  
"Tonight is the naming ceremony, I must go." he said plainly with no emotion.  
  
"Bah," said the wife, "you can control many things, but not the weather. Stay, there is tomorrow to deal with these things."  
  
"There is no tomorrow. I go tonight." Then strangely, he left his station at the door and seated himself quietly at their wooden table. 'Smooth,' he thought as he ran his hand across the top. The table had shone and been beautiful when he first made it in his youth. Now, the scratches and dents were as deep as the worry that crossed his brow. He wife moved silently about the room confused and uncertain. When they had married first, she had loved him so, and therefore had been proud to be the wife of the Guardian. Even now, her bosom swelled with love and caring, but what could she do to give him comfort now. So many children born to them and all had passed away. So many had been born to the families in the villiages below their mountain peak home. None had passed the mysterious exams that would hail the new Guardian's arrival until the little one of the Tzu family. 'What a bright child she is,' thought the old woman. Why the old man had kept it secret from others she couldn't fanthom, but then her own powers had faded with age; only the true Guardian never lost theirs. 'And now tonight in this weather he wants to go dashing about the forest to tell all of this child. When do wonders ever end!" she thought exasperated.  
  
  
  
Darkness had began to seep into the Force long before the child was born and the old man could find nothing to explain it. Even his own powers of foreseeing had been no help in this matter and his control of the force had begun to slip away. Old age itself did not do this. This he knew for certain, rather the darkness, this unexplained darkness seemed to suckle on his very life. Then, the little one came. "What will be her name?" he asked suddenly. His wife looked at him stangely, saw the desparate look in his eyes and was afraid. With her birth a calmness had arrived, but the darkness he felt, the shivers that went up and down his spine even now never left him. The child was two, so small, and he had seen her in the marketplace last week. The memory made him smile as the storm outside picked up. She had fruits of every kind bouncing up and down, up and down as her mother tried to make her stop and people stood laughing though the fruit vendor obviously was not pleased. 'Soon little one, soon,' he had thought. Her giggling was like the chirping of the birds of the forest, the trickle of the nearby stream where they had always gotten their drinking water. Yet, now, a fear was building in him.  
  
"I leave." he announced suddenly. At the door he stopped, quivering on his cane and stretched out his gnarled hand. The old woman felt the softest touch swoop across her cheek though she stood half the room away knowing, knowing, "I'll not see you again old man. I have loved you always. Go, go to your duty. All will be well." She added the last part hopefully, desparately. And when the door closed she sank to the floor and began to cry. 


	2. A Name

Guardians of the Force  
  
Chapter 2: A Name  
  
  
  
Though the storm built quickly and with a rage of its own, inside the warmly lit house a festive air hung about all who enterd quickly escaping the howling winds and massive thunderbolts that crashed about the beautiful forest covered valley. Azum went in search of his wife and when he found her with some of the other women in the kichen finishing with the food preparations his smile could not be held in check. She was beautiful and her own hand-made gown glowed exquisitely, a strange lustriousness that illuminated from the carefully woven fabric made for this special day. She looked up and smiled at him. He pointed to the small work room off the south side of the kitchen.  
  
"With this storm I believe all who are coming have arrived, dear." he whispered softly in her ear as he held her close. She leaned heavily into him, shivering.  
  
"Raphmi're, what is the matter?" He studied her closely sensing a dread in his wife's soft features that he knew so well. The people had always lived simply, poorly in some respects, but there was always food and clothing and warmth within the confines of their tiny planet. Raphmi're did not speak. Little did they know that their home in the Outer Rim had been found by a powerful and evil force, that life as they had always known it was about to end.  
  
"Raphmi're, speak to me. I must know the name you have chosen for our daughter." He tried to sound reassuring and with the Force brought a candle to his hand to hold closer to Raphmi're's face. Still she did not speak, as if forcing words from her mouth was simply an act she could not possibly accomplish.  
  
Finally, with a plaintive look into her husbands eyes, "Azum, I sense some danger that I cannot see and it surrounds our daughter like the fog lifting off Lake Klilique."  
  
Azum wanted to argue, but knew his wife's ability to see the future. She had even told him when they were children that their families would see them marry and had smiled and laughed at his disbelief, throwing a handful of dirt that had hit him square in the face before running away. Well, not completely away, for he had stopped her. So many of their people lost their childhood gifts, but Azum and Raphmi're each held on to one. Always content though, they had little reason to use them. Well, but on that day... even now so many years later he still felt slightly ashamed, he had stopped her only long enough to smash a handful of dirt in her direction, though carefully avoiding hitting her in the face. Gazing into her black eyes that had held him locked in so many warm, inviting looks over the years, he saw the fear. "Raphmi're, my mother is also a seer and what is seen..." "Is not always what will come to pass," she finished for him. "That in itself is the problem Azum. I feel, not see this, this form, this, thing." her eyes were wide and full of fright. "Our daughter is special, I know that. While our other children have specialized into one place within the Force, her powers have grown with her. But I fear..." Raphmi're paused, "Why has the Guardian not come? I have seen him watching her, people whisper Azum. She cannot grow to her full potential if she is not taught how to use the power she holds."  
  
"Perhaps he does not come because she is not the one." responded Azum, but Raphmi're shook her head. "No, that I do see and have seen since the day she was born."  
  
"You have never said anything of the kind to me," now her husband seemed irritated.  
  
"Azum, I..." then she closed her eyes. She wanted to say she was sorry or make some sort of excuse. Then again she wanted to scream at him, at the festive, laughing people in their home. With a sigh, "Anikiyala Ali Tzu will be her name."  
  
If her tone had not been so sad Azum might have laughed, children were always named for a Guardian from the past or a family member passed on to the other side.  
  
"That name is absurd." he said, "You don't name a child after a planet. What will people say."  
  
Her head held high Raphmi're looked hard at her husband and for a moment thought they were at last to have a fight in their marriage that had never seen one before. Then thunder clapped so near their home shook to it's foundations and they regarded one another with their eyes wide.  
  
"She will one day need to know that name, and it is the only way I know to give it to her." said Raphmi're.  
  
"My wife.." started Azum.  
  
"I am right, on this, I am right and that is what I see."  
  
"Very well, Anikiyala, Anikiyala." he nodded solemnly. Outside he could hear the snapping of trees, the happiness of the naming ceremony suddenly gone for both parents.  
  
"I must go and dress her quickly." And Azum watched his wife disappear through the doorway leaving him to his confused thoughts. 


	3. When Death Reigns

When Death Reigns  
  
Chapter 3  
  
  
  
Coming down the mountains had been little trouble for the Guardian, he used the Force to carry him over ledges and down slopes with ease. As he reached the valley and made his way through the forest he felt he was not moving quick enough. 'Faster,' he thought to himself, 'I must reach the house soon.' A falling tree came crashing toward him and though the hood of his cloak hid his face he sensed the tree..waved his hand and the tree fell harmlessly out of his way. He reached out with his sense of the Force to feel his way along now. Darkness surrounded him and he had no light. " Yes, soon I will be there." he muttered to himself as he found the forest path to the Tzu home.  
  
*****  
  
Anikiyala was in awe of the beautiful dress her Mother pulled over her head. Made of the same shimmering fabric as her Mother's dress it seemed to glow in the soft candle light of the bedroom. The only difference was that Anikiyala's dress was embroidered with flowering vines, the marking of her family's clan.  
  
"Pretty, pretty, Mommie." she danced with delight clapping her hands. Stopping, she moved her head as if listening, her dark eyes questioning her Mother. "Mommie, a man come, a man with a dark cape."  
  
Startled Raphmi're jumped. "No little one, in this storm, no more family will come." She pulled down at the hem of Anikiyala's dress harder than she meant too. "Oh," she breathed out, then seeing a shakened look in her daughter's eyes she managed a smile. 'I would see them, please, I would see this person as well if she is right.' Raphmi're tried to believe. She considered her child for a moment. "All your cousins and aunts and uncles will be spending the night." she said as cheerful as she could manage. Anikiyala's eyes brightened, "And, Nana and Papa, and Granna and Granpa?" she listed.  
  
"Of, course."  
  
"Yeah, yeah!" and she twirled about so the full skirt of her dress billowed out. The man all forgotten.  
  
*****  
  
A star shot across the sky which made the old man stop in his tracks. A potent, vileness sensed the old man. No, it was not a star at all. The Guardian pulled into himself concentrating on what was out in the night sky. All his life, the many, many hundreds of years of his life, only once before had a ship landed on this lonely planet. Before that, there were stories handed down, but, no impossible, yet he had seen it. The one before had been lost, and this one? The Force flowed within him, connecting him even to the individual drops of rain that pelted into his dark cloak. He saw nothing, blackness and nothing more. 'How could that be?' he wondered, shocked at his sudden inabilty. Stupedied, stunned, he stood rock still, feet sinking slightly into the mud. Then his inner sight broke through.....death everywhere, blood and death cries all about. "No, NO, I won't let it be thus!" he screamed into the wind. So attuned to this murderous scene playing out within his horrified mind he never heard the burst beside him, never felt the weight of the giant tree coming at him until it made contact with his cloak and then it was too late. All the training, secrets passed from one Guardian to another lay still, dead in the muddy ground.  
  
*****  
  
The village elder tried hard to not show his displeasure in being out on a night like this. Tried even harder to not think of his warm bed at home. Rather he tried to concentrate on the event at hand. Of course, he had to be present at all celebrations...the marriage arrangements, the marriage ceremonies, deaths and these...the naming ceremonies. He sighed and tried to not think of the hard floor he would be sleeping on this night.  
  
"Cheer yourself, old friend, the Tzu family''ll not have you on the floor," laughed an Uncle seated beside him, "surely you get the feast table. At least after the food is all gone anyway." And the man laughed heartily at his own joke. The village elder smiled polite enough, and wished he had the power to sense other's thoughts. Of course, no one could read anyone's thoughts, some, no matter how hard one tried to hide one's feelings, seemed to know just the same. 'Especially in this family.' he thought ruefully.  
  
" Everyone, please." Azum stood before the great fireplace looking over once again at his and Raphmi're's family. He glanced to the bedroom door just barely cracked open and saw Raphmi're nod her head.  
  
"Everyone, my heart is full of gladness, I have a daughter for you all to behold." With great flare he moved his arm wide toward the bedroom door and it opened. To him it seemed as if angels appeared as his wife and child stepped through. The wind howled and moaned as it blew across the rooftop of his home yet all seemed right in his world just the same. Turning to his older children, "Come forward." Then they were all standing before the happy faces. His male family members began the drumming and as had long been tradition the village elder stepped forward. A naming ceremony was usually short, and if the name was good there would be no arguments and his duty would be done. 'Please be good.' he thought pushing away the memory of the last naming ceremony he attended. Good were the people of the planet Anikiyala, with nearly half of the population empowered with one gift or another it was an absolute necessity. Never once had there been war or blood shed through hatred on this planet, but that did not keep lungs from bursting with voiced displeasure. "The name of this child." he said more than asked. Azum took a deep breath and forced himself to not look at his wife. Her decision as dictated by custom was final; the families gathered here would just have to accept it and hopefully not think it too outrageous.  
  
"Anikiyala Ali Tzu." he said firmly. Some of the children snickered, older family members simply stared. The face of the village elder twitched slightly as if he had gotten something wrong, had missed some important element in this naming ceremony. Ja, the Mother of Azum, stood up. She would handle this. Her vision flitted before her mind, Iyala grown tall and a handsome young man whispering her name. His face shined with love. The Grandmother felt warmed by the prophesy and wondered momentarily from what village would he come.  
  
"Iyala." she shouted at last.  
  
The village elder frowned, he was supposed to give the official announcement; this was not as custom demanded.  
  
"Iyala!" Ja shouted with the drumbeats. Then others began to rise and shout.  
  
"Iyala, Iyala, Iyala." clapping, laughing together. Then as one the name became, "Anikiyala, Anikiyala, Anikiyala Ali Tzu." Anikiyala grabbed her older sister's hand and shouted her own name and then it was over. Everyone swarmed about her, admiring her beauty, her dress. Congratulations were shouted above the excited din and Azum and Raphmi're both felt at the same moment an ease. Somehow they had passed a test; on what they were not sure, but no matter, it was done.  
  
"Let's eat!" shouted the previously joking Uncle and a hooray filled the air as everyone made thier way to the feasting table.  
  
"Most improper." stated the village elder, though to himself he simply thought, 'Well, if this is how they are going to do it I could've saved myself the trouble and never have come.' But a hand slap on his shoulder shook him from the beginning of his bad mood as a plate of delicious smelling food was passed under his nose. Anikiyala's Uncle winked, "Not hungry are we then?" and began pulling the plate back.  
  
"Well," started the village elder, "you don't attend all ceremonies and not learn to eat." and this time he laughed and his huge fat rolls jiggled with him.  
  
Raphmi're's family took up instruments to begin playing. Children ran in and out of the grown-up's way. Raphmi're could only hug and kiss the well-wishers for their calls of happy life for her daughter. Tears streamed down her face.  
  
"Sister, what a way to act, it's only a naming ceremony." Raphmi're hugged her brother.  
  
"Oh, I just...." she shook her head and laughed. "Go eat." she commanded and turned to her newly named daughter and smiled with a Mother's love. 


	4. The Taking

Guardians of the Force  
  
Chapter 4  
  
The Taking  
  
It was getting late. Children were falling asleep and the feasting table was being cleared of empty dishes and dirty plates. The festive air had calmed along with the last of the storm.  
  
"Mommie, Mommie, the man." Anikiyala pulled on her Mother's dress. Raphmi're stopped, dishes piled high in her hands.  
  
"Iyala, please my dear, no one is coming."  
  
"No, Mommie. I see him there." Iyala pointed to the front door.  
  
'Why do I not see anyone?' wondered Raphmi're.  
  
"Little one, only some of the men are outside talking."  
  
Ja halfway to the kitchen turned about, "Yes, someone is coming." she said.  
  
Then all seemed to go in slow motion, at least, later, when Iyala tried to remember it all. Heads turning slowly to the doorway, a sense of fear spreading, the men still present going for any object that might serve as a weapon. Iyala looked first to her Mother and watched as the plates slid from her hands...the look in her Mother's eyes caused her to turn back to the door only to see her Uncle enter. There was a huge gaping black hole in the middle of his chest. Iyala could hear the fire crackling in the great fireplace behind her, the sound seeming so loud. Or was it something different that made the loud popping sound, she couldn't tell.  
  
"Gooooo!" yelled Azum. Moving so slow, Iyala turned to him, his brother, Kym, by his side, "Cloak them, Kym, and head for the waterfall caves." Iyala did not like being cloaked, it made her dizzy; she didn't understand why this was happening.  
  
"Why does Father's mouth seem so funny?" asked Miem'ire. But to Iyala , her sister's voice sounded slow and far away as well.  
  
Up in the air she was lifted. "Nooo, Poppy, I want my Poppy!" she screamed. Strange men poured into the house and fire came from their hands she thought. More plates crashed to the floor and the men of her family seemed to heave as one toward the onslaught of the stangers. Mommie was crying and suddenly they were in the work room and a covering was thrown over her head.  
  
"Cover yourself with this Raphmi're." shouted Uncle Kym.  
  
Out in the soft rain, Iyala knew it was still raining though under the covering she counldn't see or feel it, she only knew it was there.  
  
"Mimi, Jallim." she cried for her sister and brother. Things began to move faster. Uncle Kym and Mother running, slipping in the mud. Iyala fought against her Uncle, if she couldn't be with her Father, then she wanted her Mother. The screams and yells from in the house followed them into the forest. Fallen trees tripped them; Uncle dropped her. She could hear her Mother's beautiful dress being torn.  
  
"Mommie, Mommie." crawling through the mud Iyala reached out to her.  
  
"Kym, Kym, I can't go on." Raphmi're groaned with pain. "My leg, go, go with your Uncle little one."  
  
Iyala's hand found her Mother's dress, but no, it was a torn piece of fabric ripped away by a wayward broken branch. "Mommie, Mommie." She was being lifted up again. Twisting she pushed away from her Uncle.  
  
"Stop," her Uncle demanded, "you'll not cry on me Iyala." So she stopped and breathed hard as a dark knowledge that all of this was because of her spread like poison through her young mind.  
  
"No leave my Mommie! Please! Please!" she begged in a whisper.  
  
Kym thought hard. "Alright, I'll not leave her. We stay."  
  
"No, Kym, you must go."  
  
"Raphmi're, hold my hand, we'll stay cloaked here." Kym concentrated, this would be hard. He had not tried to cloak so many since he was a child and then at hunting with his brothers it had been simple, but now he was not so young and had used the power little in recent years. Slowly he found the place inside of him where his gift of the Force lay, and even if it had been daylight no person would have seen the three as he worked the power to cloak them invisible.  
  
*****  
  
"Master, one of the men spotted movement at the back of the house." Reported the Captain.  
  
"Go, search for anyone, and any child you find bring to me." Darth Sidious smiled. Though the ones in the house fought with what powers they had, the Anikiyalians were no match for the fire power of his soldiers.  
  
"Yes, Master." And the Captain moved away.  
  
The Dark Lord stood in the courtyard. He, himself searching. The children in front of him whimpered and cried. Only one young boy looked unafraid. To the children it was as though Halluyn, the boogey man of bedtime stories, had risen before them; bringing strange bright lights that lit up the whole area and evil doers that obeyed his every order. The children blinked unaccustomed to such strong, unnatural light.  
  
"Who are you?" demanded the boy.  
  
"Tell me who am I looking for?" came the reply.  
  
Jallim scowled and spat at him. He had seen the soldiers cut down his father in cold blood and no matter the pain or fate destined to him now, he would not be afraid or cry. "May death come to you and burn you where you stand."  
  
Darth Sidious could not contain his laughter, then shock crossed his face as he felt himself shoved backwards slightly.  
  
"So young and so stupid." he growled.  
  
"Sir, the adults in the house, they are all dead."  
  
"Good, perhaps now one of these children will see fit to talk."  
  
"I'm not afraid of you." said Jallim. And not understanding how he did his next move, only that this had to stop as hate crept into Jallim, he narrowed his eyes. Sensing he could do nothing to this caped, vile man he looked to the bearer of this news of death and a power flowed through Jallim and the Captain felt his throat closing by an unseen grip. He struggled falling to the ground and mouthed sir, then master. Only no sound left his mouth and the the Captain fell over laying dead on the ground.  
  
"Master, this one was hiding in a closet." said a young foot soldier pulling Miem'ire, Iyala's sister, behind him.  
  
"Nooooo!" Jallim had no way of knowing at that precise moment his little sister too screamed out the same word.  
  
"No, no, no, Jallim, Mimi." wept Iyala. She could see it all as if it were happening right before her eyes.  
  
"Shhh!" her Uncle shook her again.  
  
*****  
  
"Sir?!"  
  
"Yes, I heard it as well. This way, over here men. Hurry!" shouted the field leader.  
  
Iyala swung her hand suddenly furious at how her Uncle held her. Couldn't he see her brother and sister needed help? Kym fell back, losing his hold on Raphmi're and Iyala in the same instant. Next bright lights were on them. Iyala froze. A small animal caught in a spot light. How she knocked her uncle away she wasn't sure, but she never meant to, and now? Again lightening flashed from their hands, she could now see it was coming from some thing that they all seemed to be holding. She turned to her Mother to see if her Mother could it explain, but there was a flash and Raphmi're's lovely face was blown in half. At hearing a second flash, Iyala did not bother turning, but felt her Uncle's life force leave him as well.  
  
*****  
  
Darth Sidious leaned in close to Jallim's face, 'If only this were the one.' he thought sinisterly. He could feel the Force that flowed from this pitiful gathering of children.  
  
"Tell me what I want to know and you will live." he tested them.  
  
"I'll tell you nothing." shot back Jallim.  
  
"But you want to tell me." Sidious said with a wave of his hand passing before Jallim's face. Yet, Jallim remained like stone.  
  
"Amazing, yes, quite so." murmured the Dark One. He knew the boy was not the one he wanted though. In his visions, he had seen a girl, a very, little girl.  
  
"Take the boys, kill them now." ordered Sidious.  
  
"No!" screamed Miem'ire. "I'll tell you."  
  
"It's only a trick Mi." shouted Jallim.  
  
"You want to know who the Guardian is, right?"  
  
"Stop it Mi, don't tell him." shouted an older cousin. But Mi, in her terror was not going to listen, and the Dark Lord smiled. 'How perceptive these children are,' he thought. 'Pity they would lose so much of their power later, I could use them all otherwise.' He edged toward Miem'ire. "Tell me." he said softly.  
  
"He's the Old Man that lives in the mountains." Mi pointed to the mountains rising to the right of the Tzu home.  
  
Darth Sidious made a face. "Allright, enough, I'll not play these games." he hissed. "Take the boys, kill them."  
  
"Yes, Master."  
  
"No," Miem'ire shouted, "it's the truth. The Old Man is the Guardian. I'm not lying!" she squealed desperately.  
  
But a single wave of the Dark Lord's hand and Miem'ire felt herslf thrown through the air, her head making a sickening sound as it connected with the front wall of what had been her home.  
  
The soldiers were picking the boys off easily with their blasters. Not one bothered himself with wondering if killing children were a wrong thing to do. The Master gave orders and they obeyed, it was as simple as that.  
  
The returning group from the forest carried a little girl and from a distance Darth Sidious knew what he had been looking for was found. Ignoring the pleas and cries for their parents from the group of girls standing before him he ordered, "Kill them now, kill them all." He had no use for this lot and a wickedly evil smile crossed his face at the thought of what use he would make of the one coming. And his laughter filled the late night air.  
  
*****  
  
"Set all detonators on high, is that understood?"  
  
"Yes, Master."  
  
"I want nothing left alive on this planet."  
  
"As you will it." and Captain Sniden bowed low before his Master.  
  
As the starship pulled away from the tiny blue planet not a single life form was left alive. The Dark Lord's arsenal had seen to that and the beauty of the planet Anikiyala was gone forever. 


End file.
